Five years later, I reflect on that decision to see if there are any regrets, lessons learnt or milestones achieved. I’ll summarize my reflections with the battles I’ve had in the spirit and how far it has led me…

Peace Ben Williams

Dreaming of Lions

As a young girl, I was so obsessed with day dreaming. I would dream of my future and how I’d become this great woman that would change my world and make it a better place. I built so many castles in the air and I always had this strong faith that I would never become a failure. I knew what I always wanted and focused fiercely on how best to get it.

By the time I was through with my university education, I fell in love, got married and settled down to having kids. This didn’t seem wrong. It was always a part of my dream. All of a sudden, it felt like an unforeseen power poured a mighty cup of darkness over my sunshine. Then I started having a recurrent nightmare that refused to go away.

Almost each night I went to bed, I’d have this dream. I’d see myself wearing my secondary school (high school) uniform and sitting behind my desk, just like I did every week day for six years as a student. Some wicked teacher would appear and flog me mercilessly on my head for no reason. I would cry and cry until I wake up. At first, I thought nothing of it. When this particular dream began to occur more frequently, I was forced to ponder what it meant.

At some point, this dream became so real that I’d wake up crying in reality, leaving me depressed the whole day. These dreams were so powerful that in reality, it would wipe any memory I had of obtaining my university degrees. Twice I even had to open my files to hold hard copies of my certificates to prove to myself that I had indeed gone past high school. I told my mother about it and she said,

“Child, you need to pray. I’ve heard about dreams like this before. It’s a sign of stagnation.”

In reality, I was truly stagnating and it translated into everything I did. I lost the zeal to blog or write or do those things I once felt passionate about. Spiritually, I became so weak I couldn’t find the right words to pray, but my heart never seized groaning to God. One of such times, I heard a loud voice in my dream shouting:

“Save me O Lord, for the waters have come up to my neck!”

Then I said to myself, “Hey…I’ve heard those words before. They’re in the Scriptures! Psalm 69:1” (NIV Version) I knew God wanted me to pray in line with that passage. I read through Psalm 69 and the bottom end was laden with curses and punishment for enemies…a prayer I’m often times skeptical about praying. This time however, I felt compelled to obey and pray it I did.

These nightmares stopped after a while and then one day, I had a similar dream. This time, I saw myself in my old secondary school, standing behind a very long queue. We were standing in line to collect our WAEC results and I was regretting why I didn’t arrive on time to be one of those at the front line of the queue. Just as I was wondering what year it would get to my turn to be attended to, a kind-looking teacher walked up to me. With a smile on her face, she called me by my maiden name, just like I was addressed in school. ‘Peace Udo?’ she asked. ‘Yes, Ma.’ I nodded in the affirmative.

‘Come with me,’ she said. ‘You’re not supposed to be here.‘ Then she took me to the very beginning of that queue and put me first in line. Everyone on the line were furious. They grumbled and protested angrily but the lady calmly explained to them that I was never meant to be on the queue in the first place. That it was a mistake because I already had my result but they were all yet to have theirs. They were silent. The lady moved me into the Vice Principal (Academics) office who smiled at me and told me I had been at the end of the queue because all along I was ignorant of the fact that I already had what I was seeking for.

That was the last time I ever dreamed seeing myself in my blue and white secondary school uniform.

But I kept dreaming this time of something else…LIONS…lots of them. I recurrently dreamed of lions standing at my doorway, in the market place…searching for me everywhere, and I kept running to hide from them.

One time last year, I dreamed of Lions in front of my home. They sat by my front door. I stood there contemplating whether to go out or remain indoors. But something rooted my feet to the ground. Was I frozen by fear? Whatever it was, it made the Lion walk up to me for the first time. Its face was so close to mine, I could feel its breath. Its size was so intimidating I wished I could just move my feet and run. The terror in its eyes were unspeakable, yet behind that terror, those same eyes had trickles of kindness lacing it. It gave me a long hard stare…searching, piercing the innermost depths of my heart like it was ripping my every thought, secret and desire and laying it bare. I lay still and surrendered to be swallowed or spared.

This ‘Lion King’ looked back at the rest pack of lions. Just like they had received a secret command, they walked into my home. Then I knew. They wanted to be my guests.They never wanted to eat me. I was one of them!

I’ve always been a dreamer. Dreamers have always met an un-pleasurable fate before they finally discover themselves. Some are thrown in dungeons and kept prisoners for years. Others are thrown into the lions den, but they survive because lions don’t eat lions. No matter how long a dreamer suffers, his/her dreams never dies. The audience will change, but the dream always gets better until it bursts forth into reality.

That has been my story. I died as a scared rabbit and rose as a fearless lion, never to be intimidated no more.

On the fifth anniversary of my blog, I’d like to leave this with my faithful readers whom I fondly call PWEEBERS. Dare to dream. Chase your dream until it becomes a reality. Your story gets more beautiful chapter after chapter just like mine.

Like Joseph, Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, your dungeon will always catapult you to greatness.

I thank God for 5 years of Blogging. I thank you all for sticking with me for 5 years.

God Bless us all.

God bless Peace Ben Williams Blog.

Love,

]]>http://peacebenwilliams.com/peace-ben-williams-blog-5th-anniversary-dreaming-of-lions-2/feed/2Peace Ben Williams Blog 5th Anniversary | Dreaming Of Lionshttp://peacebenwilliams.com/peace-ben-williams-blog-5th-anniversary-dreaming-of-lions/
http://peacebenwilliams.com/peace-ben-williams-blog-5th-anniversary-dreaming-of-lions/#respondMon, 04 Sep 2017 06:00:56 +0000http://peacebenwilliams.com/?p=80407On September 4, 2012, my life changed forever. It was the day I finally decided to put out my thoughts and literary skills on the unlimited worldwide web.

Five years later, I reflect on that decision to see if there are any regrets, lessons learnt or milestones achieved. I’ll summarize my reflections with the battles I’ve had in the spirit and how far it has led me…

Peace Ben Williams

Dreaming of Lions

As a young girl, I was so obsessed with day dreaming. I would dream of my future and how I’d become this great woman that would change my world and make it a better place. I built so many castles in the air and I always had this strong faith that I would never become a failure. I knew what I always wanted and focused fiercely on how best to get it.

By the time I was through with my university education, I fell in love, got married and settled down to having kids. This didn’t seem wrong. It was always a part of my dream. All of a sudden, it felt like an unforeseen power poured a mighty cup of darkness over my sunshine. Then I started having a recurrent nightmare that refused to go away.

Almost each night I went to bed, I’d have this dream. I’d see myself wearing my secondary school (high school) uniform and sitting behind my desk, just like I did every week day for six years as a student. Some wicked teacher would appear and flog me mercilessly on my head for no reason. I would cry and cry until I wake up. At first, I thought nothing of it. When this particular dream began to occur more frequently, I was forced to ponder what it meant.

At some point, this dream became so real that I’d wake up crying in reality, leaving me depressed the whole day. These dreams were so powerful that in reality, it would wipe any memory I had of obtaining my university degrees. Twice I even had to open my files to hold hard copies of my certificates to prove to myself that I had indeed gone past high school. I told my mother about it and she said,

“Child, you need to pray. I’ve heard about dreams like this before. It’s a sign of stagnation.”

In reality, I was truly stagnating and it translated into everything I did. I lost the zeal to blog or write or do those things I once felt passionate about. Spiritually, I became so weak I couldn’t find the right words to pray, but my heart never seized groaning to God. One of such times, I heard a loud voice in my dream shouting:

“Save me O Lord, for the waters have come up to my neck!”

Then I said to myself, “Hey…I’ve heard those words before. They’re in the Scriptures! Psalm 69:1” (NIV Version) I knew God wanted me to pray in line with that passage. I read through Psalm 69 and the bottom end was laden with curses and punishment for enemies…a prayer I’m often times skeptical about praying. This time however, I felt compelled to obey and pray it I did.

These nightmares stopped after a while and then one day, I had a similar dream. This time, I saw myself in my old secondary school, standing behind a very long queue. We were standing in line to collect our WAEC results and I was regretting why I didn’t arrive on time to be one of those at the front line of the queue. Just as I was wondering what year it would get to my turn to be attended to, a kind-looking teacher walked up to me. With a smile on her face, she called me by my maiden name, just like I was addressed in school. ‘Peace Udo?’ she asked. ‘Yes, Ma.’ I nodded in the affirmative.

‘Come with me,’ she said. ‘You’re not supposed to be here.‘ Then she took me to the very beginning of that queue and put me first in line. Everyone on the line were furious. They grumbled and protested angrily but the lady calmly explained to them that I was never meant to be on the queue in the first place. That it was a mistake because I already had my result but they were all yet to have theirs. They were silent. The lady moved me into the Vice Principal (Academics) office who smiled at me and told me I had been at the end of the queue because all along I was ignorant of the fact that I already had what I was seeking for.

That was the last time I ever dreamed seeing myself in my blue and white secondary school uniform.

But I kept dreaming this time of something else…LIONS…lots of them. I recurrently dreamed of lions standing at my doorway, in the market place…searching for me everywhere, and I kept running to hide from them.

One time last year, I dreamed of Lions in front of my home. They sat by my front door. I stood there contemplating whether to go out or remain indoors. But something rooted my feet to the ground. Was I frozen by fear? Whatever it was, it made the Lion walk up to me for the first time. Its face was so close to mine, I could feel its breath. Its size was so intimidating I wished I could just move my feet and run. The terror in its eyes were unspeakable, yet behind that terror, those same eyes had trickles of kindness lacing it. It gave me a long hard stare…searching, piercing the innermost depths of my heart like it was ripping my every thought, secret and desire and laying it bare. I lay still and surrendered to be swallowed or spared.

This ‘Lion King’ looked back at the rest pack of lions. Just like they had received a secret command, they walked into my home. Then I knew. They wanted to be my guests.They never wanted to eat me. I was one of them!

I’ve always been a dreamer. Dreamers have always met an un-pleasurable fate before they finally discover themselves. Some are thrown in dungeons and kept prisoners for years. Others are thrown into the lions den, but they survive because lions don’t eat lions. No matter how long a dreamer suffers, his/her dreams never dies. The audience will change, but the dream always gets better until it bursts forth into reality.

That has been my story. I died as a scared rabbit and rose as a lion, never to be intimidated no more.

On the fifth anniversary of my blog, I’d like to leave this with my faithful readers whom I fondly call PWEEBERS. Dare to dream. Chase your dream until it becomes a reality. Your story gets more beautiful chapter after chapter just like mine.

Like Joseph, Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, your dungeon will always catapult you to greatness.

I thank God for 5 years of Blogging. I thank you all for sticking with me for 5 years.

God Bless us all.

God bless Peace Ben Williams Blog.

Love,

]]>http://peacebenwilliams.com/peace-ben-williams-blog-5th-anniversary-dreaming-of-lions/feed/0HAPPY NEW MONTH!! August 2017 Will Surprise Youhttp://peacebenwilliams.com/happy-new-month-august-2017-will-surprise-you/
http://peacebenwilliams.com/happy-new-month-august-2017-will-surprise-you/#respondTue, 01 Aug 2017 00:26:25 +0000http://peacebenwilliams.com/?p=79156There are 12 months in a year, and each month has its own unique blessings that come with it. Only the wise are able to discern and tap from it.

The misery of man is largely caused by his ignorance. An ignorance of the fact that we are more spirit than we are flesh. To perform at your best, you must be conscious of what occurs around you and draw from it to become successful.

August being the eight month of the year, brings with it a unique blessing. The number eight in the Bible signifies Resurrection and Regeneration. It is the number of a new beginning. The month of Julycameto perfect all that concerns you and now August opens the door to new opportunities. You’ve been given a chance to walk the red carpet to your greatness. The choice now lies for you to believe and take it OR doubt and let that opportunity pass you by.

The number 8 represents Infinity and everything GOOD in the universe which is infinite, such as infinite love, infinite supply, infinite energy, infinite time . . . in other words, 8 represents complete and unending abundance without any lack.

May this month of August bring you infinite abundance in Jesus name.

]]>http://peacebenwilliams.com/happy-new-month-august-2017-will-surprise-you/feed/0HAPPY DEMOCRACY DAY, NIGERIA!…Our Prayerhttp://peacebenwilliams.com/happy-democracy-day-nigeria-our-prayer/
http://peacebenwilliams.com/happy-democracy-day-nigeria-our-prayer/#respondMon, 29 May 2017 11:01:30 +0000http://peacebenwilliams.com/?p=78156My prayer on this Democracy Day 2017 is for God to restore the pride and dignity of our nation, Nigeria.

Children of God, there is power in your tongue. Do not join the unwise to berate your fatherland. Speak healing, power and restoration into our land. Never forget that dry bones can rise again. Let’s connect our spiritual lights in prayer for our country to rise again, not for our sakes but for the sake of our descendants.

]]>http://peacebenwilliams.com/happynewmonth-february-the-month-of-love/feed/0Happy New Year! Welcome To 2017!!!http://peacebenwilliams.com/happy-new-year-welcome-to-2017/
http://peacebenwilliams.com/happy-new-year-welcome-to-2017/#commentsSat, 31 Dec 2016 23:00:41 +0000http://peacebenwilliams.com/?p=75493As we usher in 2017, I wish all the negativity and difficulties also end with last year 2016.

May the year 2017 bring success and desired results for you, with the hope that you will have many blessings in the year to come.

Just as a new bloom spreads fragrance and freshness around… May the new year add a new beauty and freshness into your life.

I have felt your love and warmth as we share thoughts and opinions on this blog. You all have been a master class in true friendship and readership, thank you.

Excited much? I am excited. I woke up this morning feeling so strongly in my spirit that this month is going to open doors no man would expect.

This month, I hear the word, “keys.” Keys will be given to those who believe to open those doors they had long been praying for. We all know that when the right key is put in a door, that door has no choice but to open.What you need to do this month is to seek the words of Him who is holy and true, who holds the key of David. What he opens no one can shut, and what he shuts no one can open. He says,

“I know your deeds. See, I have placed before you an open door that no one can shut.” Revelations 3:7-8

If you seek him, you’ll surely find him.

I will place on his shoulder the key to the house of David; what he opens no one can shut, and what he shuts no one can open. Isaiah 22:22

Happy new month.

]]>http://peacebenwilliams.com/happy-new-november-opening-doors-no-man-can-shut/feed/1#TeachersDay | Today, The World Celebrates Teachershttp://peacebenwilliams.com/teachersday-today-the-world-celebrates-teachers/
http://peacebenwilliams.com/teachersday-today-the-world-celebrates-teachers/#respondWed, 05 Oct 2016 16:25:38 +0000http://peacebenwilliams.com/?p=71211Today is World Teachers Day. We are supposed to celebrate all the teachers that have helped us climb the ladder to achieving our dream.

This inspires me to write a very truthful piece about some of the teachers that have remained imprinted in my over forty-year-old memory. Just going down memory lane makes me smile at the whole journey of learning, failing and succeeding.

I have no clear memory of my kindergarten days, except for the fact that I attended Tony Nursery School in Warri, Nigeria and I got spanked really hard on the bottom once for leaving the toilet tap running and forgetting to turn it off.

Memories of my primary school isn’t too rosy either. I attended Olodi Primary School still in Warri. The only teachers I remember are two – Mr. Mensah; my maths teacher who gave me my everlasting phobia for maths with his early morning ‘Mental’. He flogged us hard on our backs, if we failed. I cannot begin to tell you how I became a regular customer of his whippings. Then, there was this Igbo teacher we called ‘Mama Chika,’ because she had a son named Chika in my class. She taught us how to march like soldiers..Lol! That woman would whoop your ass, if we didn’t get in formation (sorry, Beyonce.)

My strongest memories are of my secondary school, Our Ladys High School, Effurun, Delta State, Nigeria. Apart from forging some of the most beautiful friendships with my classmates who have grown into beautiful, strong women today, this school had some of the best teachers one could boast of. It’s amazing how even the teachers who gave me the toughest time made it to my ‘Honor Roll.’ I’d give anything to have a sit down with my English teacher, Mrs. Abodo.

Despite English Language being my best subject, Mrs. Abodo didn’t seem to like me much…Lol! She thought I was lousy, lazy, and almost succeeded in making me feel worthless. Countless times, she punished me for reading novels during lesson time. Then she punished me severely for selling my bead craft in school. Ironically, I grew up to become a writer, novelist and a bead crafter. I was practically being punished for manifesting my talent at an early age. Sometimes I think pupils/students were given unnecessary punishments in our time.

Nevertheless, Mrs. Abodo was a darn good teacher, she knew her profession too well and have an amazing capability to impart it. I would not have achieved such great command of the English language but not for her. And so today, I celebrate her and others in my high school…

My spiritual teachers happened to be the most important of all my teachers because they all contributed in moulding the sound mind that I have today. I celebrate the following from my Sunday school teachers to my Bible class teachers to my Pastors…

Dr. J.O. Agbarah – Sunday school

Mrs. Obike – Sunday school

Elder E.P Usen – Enquirers Class

Mrs. Uffot – Evangelist

Rev. S.U. Ebukiba – Preacher

Rev. E. Udoka (RIP) – Preacher

Elder J.J Udosen (RIP) – Father-in-the-Lord

Deaconess B. Ekong (RIP) – Guardian Angel

Pastor Afolarin Ogunyinka – Pastor

Pastor Chris Ahmed

Pastor Naira Ezaza

Pastor Mrs. Esther Rex Fubara-Manuel – Mentor, teacher, guide

Pastor Sam Obadan

Pastor Sam Eko

Pastor David Oyedepo

Pastor Chris Nwaka

Pastor Chris Oyakhilome

I celebrate you all today, those alive and in heaven. May God continue to make your good seeds an everlasting reward for your descendants. Thank you.

]]>http://peacebenwilliams.com/teachersday-today-the-world-celebrates-teachers/feed/0BLOG ANNIVERSARY | Peace Ben Williams Blog Is 4 Years Old Todayhttp://peacebenwilliams.com/blog-anniversary-peace-ben-williams-blog-is-4-years-old-today/
http://peacebenwilliams.com/blog-anniversary-peace-ben-williams-blog-is-4-years-old-today/#commentsSun, 04 Sep 2016 16:19:58 +0000http://peacebenwilliams.com/?p=69694September 4, 2012…the date that changed the course of my entire life as a woman and a writer.

I published my first post on Peace Ben Williams Blog after weeks of procrastination bordering mostly on nerves. That one move has spiraled me on a roller coaster ride that has left me with no regrets whatsoever since I launched my blog.

I started this blog because I wanted to lend my voice to the social news trends in society. A lot of things were going on around the world and I felt it wasn’t just enough telling the story from a journalistic standpoint. What my generation knew as morality was fast fading away and I observed there were a lot of mistakes…some fatal being made by people.

I wanted to remind us that there was a blueprint, a system of going about these things albeit ‘old school’ but a gentle reminder that every challenge we face today on earth had already been experience by our ancestors and perhaps the solutions they applied could help.

It was a very frustrating approach to take in blogging because most readers misconstrued my blogging style for being judgmental, too critical and even too hateful. A few appreciated the intellectual analysis and other intelligent reads, but I still forged ahead.

Last year, I got so frustrated that I almost gave up. On the blog’s third anniversary, I didn’t pen my thoughts because I didn’t see the need to celebrate. I didn’t feel the blog had achieved the growth it deserved in its three years of existence.

But this year, I see more clearly and appreciate all the high and low points this blog has experienced. In all truth, Peace Ben Williams Blog is a success. A dream that started from a young stay-at-home mom who had a passion for writing. My achievements through this endeavour are immeasurable and I cannot be thankful enough to God.

Thank you dear readers…whom I fondly call PWEEBERS…for sticking it with me through thick and thin. The 5th Anniversary is going to be great. I’m actually planning something…giveaways and a get-together where I can finally meet some of my readers in person. Hope to see you then.

Thank you, United States of America! My American readers have taken my blog to a level of awareness I never imagined possible in such a short while. Thank you!

Thank you Nigerians, you’re the best. Thank you to my Asian readers, Singapore…Malaysia, and Bangladesh, I see you. Australia and United Kingdom, I see you too. God bless you all.

Happy 4th Anniversary to Peace Ben Williams Blog!!!

PEACE BEN WILLIAMS BLOG HALL OF FAME FOR 2016

Jehovah Elshaddai, Jireh, Rohi…the Most High…I would be no where without you.

Jesus Christ my saviour, you show up when I’m almost giving up and you raise me up.

Holy Spirit…teacher of wisdom, giver of strength and direction

Ben Oshionameh Williams. For being a strong financial backbone and pillar of support.

Sunday Udo. If I had 3 morale boosters as consistent as you, the sky would be my launching pad. Thank you.

Blessing Udo. Your prayers and praise for my work takes over a week for my swollen head to return to normal. I love you.

Chineze Agweye. A friend closer than a sister you are. How can I ever thank you? Much love.

Tina Canice Beshel. My Tinana, one and only unadulterated. What would I do without you?

Adams Okon Umoh. You are one of my most consistent readers and supporter. When rewards for PBWB comes, you’re sure to be top on the list. Thank you, Sir.

Ifeanyi Gbemudu. It’s amazing how we’ve grown to become family. God used you to wipe shame from my face. The best technical manager, I could ever wish for. Bless you. This guy is responsible for the fantastic look of this blog.

Primrose Obata Dodo. We’ve never met but I feel like I have a blood sister, somewhere. When I wanted to give up, you said “No”. As a blogger herself, this lady encourages my blog when other bloggers would look at me as competition. I value you. Visit her blog- Poddesk Blog.

Iyabo Onuwaje. My California love. Thank you for your support.

Melissa my darling blogger in Germany. I appreciate you.

JoJo on Twitter. Thanks a million for your consistent visits.

Tobore Adakaraza. Though we fell out, I still and always will acknowledge your input.

Austyn Ustyno on Twitter. Thank you for your support brother.

Diamond Akpanika. You told me I “write like a dream”. One of the best things I ever heard anyone say about my work.